Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-03
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.

How THIRSTY PLANTS GET WATER
In the arid regions of Egypt French
botanist, M. Volkens, has found roots
twenty times as long as the part of the
plant above the surface. On some OF
these desert plants the same observer has
noticed q very curious moisture absorb
ing continuance. Glandular hairs put
forth py the leaves yield bitter crystal
line liquid which spreads out at night and
collects the dew.
AIR PowER.-The lack OF g convenient
and economical power for small indus
tries is often felt, neither water, steam
nor electricity seeming to meet the re-
quirements. The attempts now being
made to distribute power by rarefled air
in Paris and by compressed air in Biz
mingham have much interest. In each
case, central pumping-statious with
steam power. supply the requisite energy.
The success of these systems remains TO
be shown.
BRITISH POPULARIZATIoN OF SCIENCE
"A "Wesleyan Scientific society" has
been organized IN England under the
presidency of Rev. W. H. Dallinger, F
R. S. Its objects are the encouragement
of practical scientific work among anna
tours, the guidance of beginners in the
study of natural history, the Interchange
of opinions upon scientific questions and
the collection and circulation Of useful
facts bearing upon the sciences in gen
eral Similar work is being done in this
country by the "Agassiz association"
which already claims over 10000 men,
bers. Each society expects soon to have
its own monthly Journal.
A GALES LIFE HIsToRY.-A scientific
account of the great gale which swept
over the British Isles in October has been
submitted 10 the Royal Meteorological
society by Mr. C. Harding. The storm
appears 10 have formed about two hun
dred and fifty miles southeast of New
foundland on the 18th. 1t reached Ire
land early on the 18th, turned to the
southeast, remaining central over
the British Isles about thirty four
hours, then crossed to France, and sub
stquently again took northeast course,
The depression of the barometer contin-
ued for an extraordinary length of time,
the reading being below tWenty-rine
inches for fifty hours at Geldeston. The
highest recorded rate OF the wind was
where the velocity remained above sixty
miles for nineteen hours, and ao''ve
thirty miles for sixty one hours. The
rainfall in Ireland, Wales and Southwest
ern England was exceptionally heavy,
and terrific ses dashed the western
coasts.
THE CHANGING CIRCULATIoN.-Start
ing with the idea that the hand
varies considerably in size with the guam
tity OF blood present in it at any moment,
Prof. Mosso, the italian Psychologist, has
made some most interesting investiga-
tons. In his first experiment, the hand
was placed in closed vessel of water,
when the change in circulation produced
by the slightest action OF body or brain,
the smallest thought or movement was
shown by a rise or fall IN the liquid
in the narrow neck of the vessel
With large balance on which the hOri-
zontsl hum IN body may be poised, he has
found that ones thoughts may be lit
erally weighed, and that even dreams or
the If ct of a slight sound during SUM
Der, turn the blood to the brain sutfi-
head. When the brain of the person bal,
auced is being relaxed from thought the
flow is toward the feet, with Cores
ponding oscillation. The investi-'
gator has continued his studies OF
the circulation until it seems
thst he may almost read ones thoughts
aud sensations. A single pulse-oest
shows him whether person is fasting or
not; two beats serve to determine
whether the subject is thinking or